476 THE UNIVERSE. 



CHAPTEE IX. 



THE MOVEMENTS OF PLANTS. 



Like animals, plants are endowed with the power of 

 movement. The slightest observation shows this, as it 

 does their sensibility; bnt some of our savants refuse to 

 believe it as obstinately as men opposed the first de- 

 monstrations of the rotation of the earth. In vain is it 

 shown that plants move just like the seconds-hand of a 

 watch, that they constantly change their position in order 

 to sleep or protect themselves from injury. Forasmuch 

 as the old doctrine taught that they are insensible and 

 deprived of movement, some timid minds do not wish to 

 emancipate themselves from it. 



Yet the movements of plants are susceptible of positive 

 proof, only we cannot discover the agents. But do we 

 know more abovit them in the most degraded of the animal 

 kingdom? Certainly not. 



De CandoUe and Tiedemann, trampling under foot 

 purely theoretical views, rightly admitted the mobility of 

 plants. The latter physiologist justly observes that it is 

 not necessary for the performance of this act that they 

 should possess fibres analogous to our muscles, and that 

 the MeduscE and Infusoria move perfectly well without 

 our being able to discern anything of the kind in them. 



The movements of plants are spontaneous or accidental, 

 lu the one case we see them operate by the instinctive im- 



